Stretcher trolleys for transporting ambulatory patients from the scene of an accident to a treatment facility, mode of transportation, etc., are well known. Often, these trolleys are foldable so that they may be more readily stored when not in use, as they are often stored in ambulances and other emergency response vehicles where space can be rather limited. However, the articulated frames, that are required to allow the trolleys to be foldable, of certain prior art trolleys may limit the overall weight capacity of the trolley. For example, in those trolleys where slanted front and rear frame members meet in a symmetrical V-shaped configuration, high stress is exerted on the pivoting joint that connects slanted members, or the slanted members are urged outwardly away from each other by the weight of the person being supported. Additionally, the slanted frame members join the supported stretcher at acute internal angles and, as such, they do not directly support the vertical weight component of the stretcher and patient. Rather, a large portion of the weight is transferred along the slanted members to their pivoting joint. Moreover, many of these trolleys may require deployable support assemblies at both ends as the trolley is prone to tipping both forwardly and rearwardly when not being supported by the emergency response personnel.
The present invention recognizes and addresses considerations of prior art constructions and methods.